


When One Doors Closes

by Myou



Series: FellPoth Short Stories and One-Shots [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Depression, FellPoth - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Lurik, M/M, Short Story, Swearing, Violence, death ideation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 22:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30062244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myou/pseuds/Myou
Summary: A sequel-prequel of ‘Road to Hell’ about the day Lotus met Rurik.
Relationships: Rurik/Lotus
Series: FellPoth Short Stories and One-Shots [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2210445
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter Warnings: Injury, blood (marrow)

Lotus ducked into the alcove of an alley, covering his mouth with his hands and willing his breathing to calm so as not to give away his hiding spot.

Why was he so stupid?! He should have known running away would be _yet another_ dumb idea added to the extensive list of bad ideas and stupid decisions that culminated in his existence. Why did he ever think living on the streets would be any better than living at home? His parents had always drilled into him the cruelty of the world, but he had refused to listen; he didn't even make it _two damn days_ before one of the local gangs came after him!

Now here he was, a sixteen-year-old skeleton monster crouched behind a pile of moldy cardboard boxes in a dirty alley, hiding from a group of monsters while his right shoulder steadily leaked marrow. He made a mental note to take a look at the damage and treat it later... if he managed to survive that long.

As the thrumming of his soul began to slow, he took in the silence surrounding him; did he actually lose them? Risking a glance, Lotus poked his skull out of his hiding spot; both ends of the alley looked empty. Breathing a sigh of relief, he stood from his crouch and slowly approached the mouth of the alley. Before he could even check around the corner, a hand shot toward him; it wrenched his injured shoulder as the owner slammed him back into a brick wall. He gasped as the pain from his injury and the impact hit him simultaneously, sending stars dancing through his vision as his legs buckled under him.

"Now that wasn't very smart," a deep voice growled as Lotus slid down the wall, unable to hold himself up.

"Heh... tell me something I don't know...," he mumbled through gritted teeth, focusing his eye light enough to make out the leader of the gang that had been chasing him; a dark blue, large lizard monster carrying a baseball bat.

"You invaded our territory, then ran instead of accepting the fees; you brought this on yourself," the leader punched his fist into his palm, indicating what 'this' entailed as his lackeys formed a semicircle around the skeleton.

Of course Lotus couldn't accept the fees, he had nothing to pay with! He had left his home spur of the moment without his parents knowing, so he was only able to pack a few things he had been hoping to pawn off in his backpack. Unsurprisingly, the shop owner had been a cheapskate who was unwilling to pay _near_ the amount the items were worth; not that it mattered much anymore. That bag and the contents were long gone now, so now he only had the clothes on his back... and he had a sinking feeling he wasn't even going to have that for much longer.

A single kick to the left side of his ribs started the punishment, sending him fully to the ground as the rest joined in with feet, tails, and weapons. Lotus curled up as tightly as possible, using his thin arms and legs to protect his skull and body the best he could from the half-dozen monsters pummeling him; it was a vain attempt since the blows easily broke through his meager defenses. His body was riddled with pain, all culminating in a sharp snap as one of his ribs finally gave way and fractured completely.

He gasped sharply, unconsciously moving his left arm toward the injured bone as the surge of pain overwhelmed him; the action created enough of an opening for another strike to connect with the side of his skull, resulting in another sickening crack and another cry of pain. He could feel marrow leaking from the cracks in his skull and rib as he tried to blink past the shock-induced haze; even if he _could_ see clearly, he wasn't sure he _wanted_ to see the extent of the damage. A whimper slipped out as the assault continued and more injuries piled up. He tucked tighter into himself, closing his sockets despite knowing it wouldn't erase the pain or cause his attackers to vanish; as if something so wonderful would happen.

The group stepped back to admire their handiwork, laughing and jeering at the bloody and broken victim who laid shivering before them. Lotus no longer had the strength to run or defend himself, merely waiting for his aggressors to finish him off. His sockets clenched harder as dull footfalls echoed against the alley walls; his time was up... but instead of death, shouting and screams rang out.

Uncurling slightly from his ball of agony, Lotus opened his left socket just in time to see the lizard fly over him and slam against one of the walls in a leathery heap before collapsing into a pile of dust. The footsteps echoed behind his skull this time; the skeleton forced himself to rotate his damaged skull and glance up. A dark figure towered over him, their only visible trait being two glowing orange-yellow stars that made up their eyes... no, eye lights; was this a skeleton, like him? Lotus couldn't make out anything more through the light shining at the newcomer's back and his own fading vision.

The only thing he knew for sure... this was where it all ended for him. His parents had been right all along; he couldn't handle the real world... well, at least he got to see something pretty in the end. A choked, wet laugh slipped out; he was... so stupid... 

In that moment, pain stole what was left of his awareness and he surrendered to the cold and lonely oblivion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... another door opens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: Mild blood (marrow), depression, death ideation, swearing

Lotus groaned, the feeling of someone touching him bringing him back to consciousness. A dull red eye light formed, taking in the sight of... a green couch?

"About time you finally decided to wake up. Your broken ass was asleep for two days."

His skull lolled toward the voice on his left, finding another skeleton in green, gold, and black military-style dress with those orange-yellow stars staring right back at him. Behind them on the table was a small white box containing various first-aid supplies. Glancing down, Lotus was slightly embarrassed to find he was lacking his shirt, scarf, cloak, and shoes... though he was more concerned with the multitude of cracks and scars that were clearly visible without his clothing to cover them.

"So, you got a name?" the monster questioned, quirking a socket as he resumed changing a bandage on one of the smaller's ribs.

"Lotus," he croaked, warily voicing a question of his own, "Why are you helping me?"

"I just felt like it," the stranger shrugged, then added, "Was also curious why you were laughing before you passed out; most monsters wouldn't laugh after getting the shit beat outta them. Can't really answer if you're dead, though, so I patched you up. So, why were you laughing?"

Lotus smiled sadly, looking away as he scoffed, "Because my existence is one big damn joke. I'm the sad-sack, worthless, waste of magic pansy my parents always said I was, and my attempt to prove them wrong only served to drive home how _right_ they were. I was getting my comeuppance in that alley and I found it poetic." Oblivious to his savior's grim expression, he continued bitterly, "I honestly believed you were trashing those goons so you could be the one to finish me off instead; collect the free experience and all that shit. And on _top_ of all that _..._ in what I thought were my last moments, all I could think about was how amazing your eyes looked in that lighting instead of something more practical or lifesaving because I'm a stars-damned idiot! _That's_ why I laughed."

The taller skeleton went back to changing the marrow-stained bandages around his ribs without a word of response. Lotus assumed the conversation was over, turning his skull away to stare at the dark green cushions lining the back of the couch; he supposed it made sense, he said something really sappy and depressing... and perhaps a little creepy now that he thought about it. Even if he tried to explain the thoughts away as a coping mechanism, the guy probably didn't know what to do with the information.

He wasn't expecting it when the monster said, "I had no intention of killing you back there. It's more pathetic to strike at a target that can't fight back; there's no challenge. They were scum ganging up on a single weakened target, so I taught them a lesson... that's all."

Lotus turned back to the skeleton as he stood with the first-aid box in his hands and walked off to another room; he eventually returned without the box, posing another question, "Sooo... do you have someone I can call to pick you up? A name; a number?"

The smaller snorted, immediately regretting the action when it jarred his injuries. Once the pain subsided, he answered, "The only ones would be my parents... and after being gone for four days, they've probably already given me up for dust by now. Even if I _did_ call, they probably don't give two shits about me returning outside of getting their punching bag back and crowing about how they were right. I ran away from that hellhole and I'm _never_ going back; I'd rather dust."

Lotus shifted himself, shakily propping himself up on his elbows in an attempt to reach a sitting position. "What are you doing?" the taller monster questioned bluntly.

"What does it _look_ like?" Lotus monster bit out, catching himself before he fell backward, "I'm getting up and leaving. There's no sense beating around the bush, you want me gone and no one's going to come for me; I might as well get out before I'm thrown out. Now, where are my clothes?"

"Where will you go?" the skeleton inquired, ignoring his question.

"Somewhere... I'll figure it out," Lotus huffed. 

As he nearly managed to achieve his goal of sitting up, a boney hand easily shoved him back into the pillows that had been propping him up; the owner growled, "Don't be a dumbass; you can barely even move, much less walk. You're practically asking for death and I'm not going to let you waste my supplies and goodwill by getting yourself dusted as soon as you step foot outside." His tone then took on a more playful note, "Just lay your ass down and stay there while I make us some lunch; who knows, it might even be edible if you're lucky."

The gruff skeleton turned and walked toward what looked like a kitchen, pausing to add, "The name's Rurik, by the way... in case you were wondering."

"Well _goody_ for you, I wasn't," Lotus mumbled sarcastically, earning a bark of laughter as the monster... Rurik disappeared into the kitchen.

The skeleton left him staring in disbelief at the empty doorway, slowly processing the exchange. This guy... Rurik... was he genuinely being nice? Was he really letting Lotus stay, no strings attached? In a world of kill or be killed, someone was actually extending a helping hand towards a weakling like him?

No... no, there had to be a catch; things weren't so simple. He could feel his soul squeezing, but he had no idea how to make it stop.

"Stupid... I'm... so stupid," Lotus murmured, reaching up a shaky hand to scrub away the tears he couldn't hold back, "Sixteen years... sixteen years of abuse, and I... I seriously think, even for a _moment_... things are going to ch-change that easily? Nothing ever gets better... it's... it's only a matter of time... b-before he sees m-me for the waste of s-space I am, b-before he discards me... just like... everyone else."

He pressed his holed palms against his sockets, willing away the tears that refused to dry as he whispered, "He should have... sh-should have let me die; it would have been a m-mercy..."

"Lotus?"

He jumped at the voice. The startled skeleton looked up, puzzled when he found an empty room instead of Rurik like he had been expecting.

"Lotus, wake up!"

Wake up? What the hell, he was already-

The room began to shift and spin around him as an invisible force roughly shook him. He gasped as pain jolted through his skull, clenching his sockets shut.

"Lotus!"

His sockets shot open, his soul thudding against his ribs. The first thing his eye light took in was the sight of orange-yellow stars; it was Rurik, leaning over the back of the couch above Lotus with one arm extended toward his shoulder.

Rurik looked... worried? "You okay? I came out to borrow the book you were reading, but I found you out here on the couch, moaning in your sleep... then again, it was kind of hot; were you dreaming about something naughty? We can continue where it left off if you want," the skeleton added with a sly grin.

Lotus had been observing his surroundings as his boyfriend spoke; he was laying on the same dark green couch, fully clothed, with a self-help book laying against his chest... at least, he _was_ until the last comment registered. He blushed a furious purple, yelling indignantly, "I wasn't dreaming about anything gross, you sick shit! I was dreaming about-!" the skeleton paused as his words caught up with him. His blush faded as he finished his sentence in a much more subdued tone, "... about the alley... and the day we first met." He averted his gaze as Rurik's sockets narrowed, and a heavy silence fell over the living room.

Lotus was so focused on _not_ looking at Rurik, he didn't notice when the monster reached down, swiftly pulling him up into their arms; the book fell out of his lap as he squirmed, bouncing off the couch and onto the hardwood floor. "W-what are you d- AH!" he squawked, cut off when his boyfriend tipped himself over the edge of the couch, bringing the smaller crashing down with him.

The pair landed on the cushions with Rurik on the bottom, his feet dangling over the back and his hat slipping off to join the book on the ground. He was far more focused on the skeleton laying on his chest, peppering his boyfriend's cheeks and neck with sultry kisses. "W... why are... y-you...?" Lotus gasped, his face flush from the fall and the sudden attention.

"I'm distracting you from stupid thoughts," he replied in between kisses, "Also, proving things _are_ better, and you're _not_ a waste of space; not to me."

Lotus felt touched... until he noticed the wording.

"Wait, that's... back then, you heard me? You _bastard_ , why didn't you ever say anything?!" he screeched in mortification, swatting at the monster under him.

Rurik laughed at his antics, the blows against their chest being all flash and no substance. Catching their breath, the monster softly purred, " _There's_ the sassy skeleton I fell for." Lotus's blush returned full force as he was pulled in closer, "Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me because I'm not planning on letting you go anytime soon. I said I was going to try to do better by you, and I meant it."

"Ugh... whatever," Lotus groused, pouting as he flopped his skull onto his left arm, his face burning as Rurik's chest bounced in laughter.

All the while, he fought the smile trying to force its way onto his face, secretly taking solace in the fact that after so many years of abuse, things _could_ and _did_ change after all.


End file.
